There’s no food on Earth like a homemade pizza, especially when you bake it with the magic of wood burning stone oven (fourni in Greek) or a pizza stone.
Making homemade pizza dough can sound like a lot of work, but the truth is that the dough itself requires few ingredients and just a little bit of rising and rest time.
While you wait for the dough to rise, you can prepare your tomato sauce, and any ingredient you want to put on top of your pizza.
INGREDIENTS:
for the dough
5 cups all purpose flour + some for dusting
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
2 1/4 cups COLD water
for the tomato sauce
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dry basil
INSTRUCTIONS:
for the dough
In the bowl of your mixer and using the paddle attachment mix the flour, sea salt and yeast on low speed until all is incorporated, then add the COLD water
Switch to the dough hook and mix together on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and sticky but should not stick to the sides of the bowl, only a little to the bottom
After 8 minutes of mixing, remove the dough from the mixer bowl and cut it into 6 pieces and form them into rounds
Place them on a lightly oiled cooking paper and drizzle with 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature and rise for 2 hours
In the meantime
for the sauce
Pour the can of crushed tomatoes into a bowl
Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and cook slowly. Taste for salt and add if needed
Continue with the dough
Firstly pre heat the oven for at least 45 minutes - 1 hour (220c)
Sprinkle the counter with a little bit of flour, take one piece of dough and press down on it with your fingers until you have 1/2" thick circle or oval. With your fingers start stretching the dough until 10" in diameter making sure not to tear it
Dust your pizza tray very well with flour and set your pizza dough on it making sure it slides easily when moved
Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the pizza sauce in the centre and spread it around with the back of a spoon leaving 1 inch of space at the edges
Sprinkle with shredded cheese (I use a mixture of mozzarella, gouda and edam) and and add your favourite toppings (e.g. cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, onions, aubergines, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella slices, goat cheese, bacon, etc)
Don't add too many toppings, keep in mind this is a thin crust and a couple or max three toppings are enough
Gently slide the pizza on the preheated pizza stone in a hot oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes for the cheese to set
Notes
1. Make sure to preheat your oven with the pizza stone in it for at least 45 minutes
2. When the pizza is ready lightly brush it with some olive oil for a perfect crust
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